Insurance

Backers of Health Insurance Rate Regulation Edge Closer to Ballot

May 19, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>Supporters of a proposed ballot measure seeking tighter regulation of health insurance rates in California turned in 800,000 petition signatures, confident that they will qualify for the Nov. 6 election.</strong><br /> <br /> In the coming weeks, county election offices and the California secretary of state will determine whether the measure meets the requirement for 504,760 valid signatures of registered voters. The deadline to qualify is June 28.<br /> <br />

Group Submits Signatures for Insurance Rate Regulation Measure

May 18, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Consumer advocates upped the ante on premium rate regulation in California on Friday when they delivered petitions signed by 800,000 California voters to a qualify an initiative for the November ballot.<br /> <br /> The Insurance Rate Public Justification and Accountability Act needs 504,000 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. The measure must be certified by June 28 to qualify.<br /> <br /> The measure takes one of the most hotly contested bills in years directly to the people after legislative efforts stalled in the final days of the last session.</p>

Ballot Initiative Would Hold Health Insurance Premiums Down

May 18, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZVQgZcufYlc?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br /> <br /> NORWALK (CBS) — Leaders of Consumer Watchdog Campaign along with patients and the state’s Insurance Commissioner delivered to the Los Angeles County Registrar’s office in Norwalk hundreds of thousands of petition signatures in support of a health insurance rate justification ballot initiative.<br /> <br />

Feud Colors Clash Over California’s Health Care Rates

May 18, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The stage is set for an immense political clash over regulation of health insurance with multibillion-dollar stakes and an impact on virtually every Californian.<br /> <br /> Consumer Watchdog battled insurers over regulation of auto and other personal insurance 24 years ago and won, claiming that it has saved consumers tens of billions of dollars since.<br /> <br />

Health Insurance Rate Regulation Proposal Gets 800,000 Signatures

May 18, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Supporters of a proposal to give state regulators power to reject health insurance rate increases say they are submitting 800,000 voter signatures to election officials in hopes of qualifying for the November ballot.</p> <p> "We will give California voters the chance to decide their own fate in November and stop out of control health insurance premiums," Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court, whose group is sponsoring the initiative, wrote in an email to supporters today.</p>

Signatures Submitted for Health Insurance Rate Initiative

May 18, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Proponents of an initiative that would give California regulators the power to regulate health insurance rates submitted 800,000 voter signatures on Friday in hopes of qualifying the measure for the November ballot.</p> <p> Consumer Watchdog called the initiative a "common sense proposal" to expand provisions of Proposition 103, which regulates auto and home insurance rates. Prop 103, also backed by the Santa Monica advocacy group, was approved by voters in 1988.</p>

Sign Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace…Regulate Health Insurance Rates

May 12, 2012  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Next week we will be turning in the signatures for our ballot petition to force health insurance companies to justify their rates and get permission before instituting their rate hikes.<br /> <br /> <strong><a href="http://justifyrates.org/_docs/redirect_petition.php?source=cwlc">Download</a>, sign and return in the mail by the end of the weekend to be part of the signature turn-in or forever hold your peace.</strong><br /> <br /> This short video preview of the initiative by our friends in Hollywood explains why this is the most important autograph you will give this year.

The Marie Antoinette Of Health Insurance & How To Dethrone Her

May 7, 2012  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2411" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/images_braly-quote4.jpg" style="width: 157px; height: 250px; float: right; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px;" width="157" height="250" />Two years ago, as federal health reform lay on death’s door, CEO Angela Braly, head of Blue Cross’s parent company Wellpoint, spit on beleaguered patients. She sat through poignant Congressional testimony from customers whose lives were being ruined by spiraling premium hikes, then Braly testified that the public outrage was "a triumph of sound bites over substance."<br /> <br />

‘Groundhog Day’ for Health Care–The Profit Nightmare

May 3, 2012  ·  Judy Dugan

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Movie Rating: Not Suitable For Health Insurance Executives

May 1, 2012  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> One million Californians will be slammed today with health insurance rate hikes as high as 20%. Consumer Watchdog Campaign has a solution.</p> <p> Watch this short, funny movie trailer about an alternative future with no rate hikes, and share it with your friends.</p> <p> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PMO-_woxVpE?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></p> <p> Health insurance price hikes recur more often than Groundhog Day -- Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall. Now there’s something Californians can do about it.</p>

Stand with the May Million to Stop Unjust Rate Hikes

April 24, 2012  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2405" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/may_millions_facebook_logo.png" style="width: 250px; height: 350px; float: right; margin: 3px 4px;" width="286" height="400" />In just one week, <strong>ONE MILLION</strong> Californians will have their health care rates unceremoniously hiked by up to 20%.  For many of these Californians, this will represent the 2nd or 3rd hike in less than two years. With insurance companies turning record profits quarter in and quarter out, it's time to stand up and tell them that we are sick and tired of these unjust rate hikes.<br /> <br />

Are you one of the May Million too?

April 23, 2012  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2403" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/laurel_bio_photo_copy_0.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 221px; margin: 3px 4px; float: right;" width="467" height="517" /><a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/article/laurel-kaufer-san-fernando-valley-ca">My name is Laurel Kaufer and I’m a Consumer Watchdog member</a>. I am also one of the one million Californians who will be hit with a health insurance rate hike on May 1st.<br /> <br /> <strong>Are you one of the May Million facing rate hikes of up to 20%?</strong><br /> <br />